Athletes village requires urgent rehabilitation- Masire

Botswana Cycling Association President, Mmetla Masire the Botswana National Sports Commission’s (BNSC) Athletes Village in Gaborone is in a bad state and needs to be urgently rehabilitated.

When giving a presentation at a Sports Pitso held at Majestic Five Hotel in Palapye Masire told the gathering that the village needs serious attention before something tragic happens to athletes.
“All fire extinguishers expired in 2015 and need to be replaced,” said Masire.

He further said the septic tanks in the yard are an eyesore and need to be fixed. “The tanks are just gaping holes spewing sewage in the yard. This is a hazard to public health and recently I saw kids playing there,” he said.

Masire also alerted the Pitso which was attended by Minister of Youth Empowerment, Sports and Cultural Development- Thapelo Olopeng, to the damaged electric wiring in some of the buildings.
“It’s worse in the kitchen. All the electric sockets have been damaged, which poses a danger to athletes,” he said and added: “I’m also told there’s no washing machine,” Masire said adding that the walls also needed re-painting.

BNSC’s dream of owning an athletes village became a reality in 2007 when they finally struck a deal with Botswana Housing Corporation (BHC) to purchase two blocks of flats in Block nine to be used by its affiliates.